1Det får mit hjerte til at banke voldsomt, det hopper næsten helt op i halsen.2Hør efter, når Gud taler fra stormvejret, når hans tordenrøst ruller hen over os.3Lynene glimter hen over himlen og rækker helt til jordens ende.4Derefter kommer tordenskraldet, hans majestætiske, tordnende røst. Han sparer ikke på lynene, når han lader sin røst høre.5Guds storslåede stemme høres i bulderet, han gør store og ufattelige ting.6Han befaler sneen at falde på jorden og sender regnskyl i tykke tove.7Folk må standse op midt i deres arbejde og anerkende Guds vældige magt.8Dyrene søger i skjul, de bliver i deres huler.9Den bidende blæst lukkes ud fra sit hus og kommer med kulde fra nord.10Gud ånder på vandet, så overfladen fryser til is.11Han fylder skyerne med vand, og fra dem udspringer hans lyn.12Skyerne farer frem og tilbage, de bevæger sig efter hans vilje. De udfører hans befalinger ud over den vide jord,13hvad enten lynet kommer for at straffe, eller regnen kommer for at velsigne.14Tænk dig om et øjeblik, Job, læg mærke til Guds forunderlige gerninger.15Ved du, hvordan han styrer naturens kræfter, hvordan han får lynene til at glimte fra skyerne?16Forstår du, hvordan skyerne kan svæve i luften? Det er den Almægtiges underværker.17Du, som lider under den brændende sol, når søndenvinden bringer en hedebølge,18var det dig, der hjalp ham udspænde himlens bue, så den skinner som et spejl af blankt metal?19Job, hvad med at dele noget af din visdom med Gud, for vi andre ved jo ingenting!20Tør du sige til Gud, at du vil fortælle ham noget? Risikerer du ikke at dø ved at træde frem for ham?21Når vinden har blæst skyerne væk, og solen kommer frem i al sin skarphed, kan intet menneske holde ud at se på dens strålende lys.22Mod nord kan man se et gyldent skær, men Guds herlighed er langt mere strålende.23Vi kan ikke mødes på lige fod med den almægtige Gud, for hans magt er uendelig. Hans godhed er uden grænser, og han kan umuligt være uretfærdig.24Derfor har mennesker ærefrygt for ham, men de selvretfærdige kan Gud ikke hjælpe.”
1“At this also my heart trembles and leaps out of its place.2Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.3Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. (Job 36,30; Job 36,32; Job 38,13; Es 11,12; Ez 7,2)4After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings[1] when his voice is heard. (Job 40,9; Salm 18,13; Salm 29,3; Salm 68,33)5God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. (Job 5,9; Job 36,26)6For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. (Salm 147,16)7He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he made may know it. (Job 14,17; Salm 109,27; Dan 12,9)8Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens. (Job 38,40; Salm 104,22)9From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds. (Job 1,19; Job 9,9; Salm 147,17; Es 21,1)10By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. (Job 36,16; Job 38,29; Salm 147,17)11He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.12They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. (1.Mos 3,24; Salm 148,8; Ord 8,31)13Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen. (2.Mos 9,18; 2.Mos 9,23; 1.Sam 12,18; 1.Kong 18,45; Ez 10,9; Job 36,31; Job 38,22; Job 38,26)14“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. (Salm 111,2)15Do you know how God lays his command upon them and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?16Do you know the balancings[2] of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge, (1.Sam 2,3; Job 36,4)17you whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind?18Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? (1.Mos 1,6; 2.Mos 38,8; Es 42,5; Es 44,24)19Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness. (Es 60,2; Ef 4,18)20Shall it be told him that I would speak? Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?21“And now no one looks on the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them.22Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty. (Salm 104,1)23The Almighty—we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. (Job 36,5; Salm 99,4; Klag 3,33; 1.Tim 6,16)24Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”[3] (Salm 130,4; Es 5,21; Matt 10,28; Matt 11,25; 1.Kor 1,26)